JJ Cooney enters his sixth season as an assistant coach for the University of Sioux Falls men's and women's golf programs in 2026. A proud USF alumnus, Cooney competed for the Cougars from 2016-21 and remains one of the most accomplished golfers in program history.
Cooney completed his fifth season on the Cougar coaching staff in 2025-26, helping guide the USF women to a second-place finish at the Augustana Spring Invitational and a fifth-place showing at the NSIC Championships. On the men's side, the Cougars tied for second place at the NSIC Championships and saw Charlie Hanson capture medalist honors at the USF Invitational while earning NSIC Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-NSIC recognition.
Cooney also played a key role in maintaining the program's high academic standards. During the 2025-26 academic year, USF golfers earned two NSIC Team of Excellence honors, six NSIC All-Academic selections, two CorTrust Scholar-Athlete awards, and two CSC Academic All-District honors.
As a student-athlete at Sioux Falls, Cooney established himself as one of the premier golfers in program history. He owns the second-lowest career scoring average in school history at 74.85 over 95 career rounds and holds three of the top-10 single-season scoring averages in program history, highlighted by a career-best 73.5 average and two additional seasons at 74.7.
Cooney helped elevate the Cougar golf program to new heights during his playing career, contributing to four team tournament championships, one individual title, and the program's first-ever NCAA Division II Regional Championship appearance. His achievements in the classroom were equally impressive as he earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and entrepreneurial studies and later completed his Master of Business Administration at USF.
Career Achievements
- Second-lowest career scoring average in program history (74.85)
- Three of the top-10 single-season scoring averages in school history
- CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American
- USF Male Student-Athlete of the Year
- Two-time NSIC Scholar-Athlete
- NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic recipient
- Four team tournament championships
- One individual tournament title
- Member of USF's first NCAA Division II Regional qualifying team
USF Records & Accomplishments
- 3 All-NSIC selections
- 5 team tournament championships
- 5 individual medalist titles
- 8 NSIC Men's Golfer of the Week honors
- 4 NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction recipients
- 2 CorTrust Scholar-Athlete Award recipients
- 2 CSC Academic All-District selections
- 43 NSIC All-Academic Team honorees, including 19 Team of Excellence selections
- 12 Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award recipients
- 3 WGCA All-American Scholars
Updated 6/17/2026
